Anniston, AL – The historical annual POW Memorial Ceremony is set to take place this Sunday, November 19, at 1:30 PM at McClellan’s German Italian Cemetery. The public is warmly invited to join in paying tribute to the 26 German and 3 Italian soldiers laid to rest in this sacred ground during this honorable ceremony.
Event coordinator Tom Gilbert, a retired Army Officer, extends a welcome to all interested parties. For more information, please contact him at [email protected].
The ceremony, a significant part of McClellan’s history, promises to be a solemn and respectful event. It will feature the JSU ROTC Color Guard, German and Italian Military Representatives, and the family of one of the German POWs. Attendees will have the opportunity to participate in this important commemoration, acknowledging the sacrifices made by soldiers during World War II.
In the quiet, forested section of what was once Fort McClellan, former adversaries, once intent on each other’s destruction, now gather on hallowed ground to honor those who never returned home. Fort McClellan, which closed in 1999, served as the site for a large Prisoner of War (POW) camp during the war, accommodating up to 3,500 prisoners. The camp operated from 1943 to 1946.
The camp housed prisoners, including those from the renowned “Deutsches Afrika Korps” under German Gen. Erwin Rommel, captured in North Africa in 1943. The POW camp at Fort McClellan was the last to close in the southern U.S., hosting smaller satellite camps in the region.
Four German POWs lost their lives while interned at Fort McClellan, and after the war, the remains of other prisoners from satellite camps were relocated to the German-Italian Enemy Prisoner of War (EPW) Cemetery. Maintaining military tradition, these soldiers were accorded the same rights as American soldiers, including funeral honors and standard headstones.
The POW Memorial Ceremony, an annual tradition for over four decades, was initially conducted by the U.S. Army. After the closure of Fort McClellan, local civilians took on the responsibility, upholding the traditional format established by the military. In 2022, American Legion Post 111 joined efforts to assist with military honors at the annual services.
Unique among POW cemeteries in the U.S., McClellan’s German Italian Cemetery is believed to be the only stand-alone POW cemetery in the country. The annual memorial service is the only one of its kind, continuously honoring interred POWs in this manner.
